Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-12

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The plans below show a harbour in 2000 and how it looks today.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

 

 

Student answer (Band 5.0)

The plans compare map of port harbour back in 2000 with how it represent today.

Overall, the back in 2000 port harbour had two main entry ways, however now its turns to three ways with addition of new car parking. The biggest change in todays plane contain changing an unused castle into hotel. In addition cafes and shops are newly introduce

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify a few relevant changes, including the castle becoming a hotel and the addition of cafés and shops, and you attempt an overall comparison. However, the response addresses the task only minimally: it does not describe the harbour’s main changes in enough detail, such as the relocation of the marina and fishing boats, the new facilities, or the change to the southern beach. The claim that there are now “three ways” and that this results from “new car parking” is unclear and not supported by the plans. The response is also 89 words below the required minimum, leaving too little space to select and report the key features. Develop a clear overview and support it with accurate comparisons of locations and uses.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic overall shape: an opening sentence introduces the comparison, followed by an overview beginning with “Overall.” This gives the reader some sense of the purpose and separates the general summary from the introduction. However, the progression stops after a few brief points, so the changes are not grouped or explained in a logical sequence. The final sentence, “In addition cafes and shops are newly introduce,” is incomplete in punctuation and does not connect to a fuller account. To improve, organise the report into an introduction, an overview, and one or two paragraphs grouping changes by area or function. Use clear links such as “In the northern basin” and “By contrast, in the south” to guide the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some task-relevant vocabulary, including “harbour,” “car parking,” “castle,” “hotel,” “cafes and shops,” and “addition,” which helps communicate the general subject. However, the range is limited, and several word choices or forms are inaccurate or unclear: “port harbour” is redundant, “entry ways” does not clearly describe the map’s changes, and “todays plane” appears to mean “today’s plan.” “Newly introduce” is also an incorrect form. Use precise map vocabulary such as “facilities,” “relocated,” “replaced,” “southern beach,” and “harbour entrance.” Check spelling and word forms, and avoid repeating broad terms when a specific feature can be named.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response attempts a compound sentence with “however” and uses an overview marker, but the grammatical range remains limited and errors occur in most sentences. For example, “compare map” needs an article, while “how it represent today” has incorrect subject–verb agreement and tense. In “the back in 2000 port harbour had,” the word order and article use are faulty; “now its turns” also has an incorrect verb form and apostrophe use. The final clause, “cafes and shops are newly introduce,” uses the wrong verb form. Practise accurate simple sentences first, then combine them with controlled contrast clauses. For example: “The castle has been replaced by a hotel, and the southern beach is now private.”

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